Furnace grate



July 21, 1925.

T. E. MARTIN FURNACE GRATE 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 29 T. E. MARTIN FURNACE GRA Filed March 29, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 DUDE] E1 DUCIUEIU JHHHHH K V N snow M0 M attoznn July 21, 1925. 1,546,741

T. E. MARTIN FURNACE GRATFJ Filed March 29, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 21, 1925. 1,546,741

T. E. MARTIN FURNACE GRATE Filed March 29, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 i 1 22 A A I Patented July 21, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS E. MARTIN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

FURNACE GRATE.

Application filed March 29, 1920. Serial No. 389,602.

To all whom it may comem:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. MARTIN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furnace Grates, of which the following is a specification.

This i vention relates to improvements in furnace grates. One of the objects of my invention is to provide such construction of the grates as to provide the maximum openings for admission of air to the fuel and for the elimination of ashes and cinders produced by combustion of the said fuel, without waste of unburned or but partially burned fuel during the process of combustion, or when it becomes necessary to cause a movement of the grates to produce the elimination of such ashes and cinders as do not fall through the openings by the slight disturbance or movement of fuel caused by the natural process of combustion.

Another object is to provide a fuel supporting surface composed of a multiplicity of corrugated segments arranged side by side upon supporting cross bars, the openings between said segments produced by the corrugations thereon being relatively large or small, and readily changeable from large to small, or vice versa, as may be best adapted to the character of fuel to be burned. And said segments, whether arranged for coarse or fine fuel, may be merely shifted,'

and in doing this, I do not increase or diminish the total area of said openings which at all times equals approximately sixty per cent of the total area of the fire box.

A further object is to provide segments and a support for the same which co-operate to produce an automatic locking effect so that the said segments cannot come off when operated for the purpose of discharging the cinders and ashes therefrom. but

' may be easily removed when the grate is in a normal position and replaced by another segment when needed, without pulling the fire.

And still another object is to produce an automatic cleaning effect without Waste of fuel by releasing and dischargingthe lower stratum composed of cinders and ashes without violently disturbing the burning fuel thereon or, when desired, discharging all of the fuel into the ash pit.

And a still further object is when operating the grate to prevent a forward and backward movement of the fuel thereon by causing the front upper portion of each segment to block the backward or forward movement of the fuel while the adjacent segment produces a scraping effect to loosen and discharge the cinders and ashes through the opening between said segments produced by the peculiar shape and movement of the said segment. And this movement and its effect are simultaneously duplicated by each of the segments composing the main portion of the grate. It will be further observed that the top portion of the segments conform to the arc of a circle but of a wider circle than could be operative in the space allotted in this grate and that the provision for adjusting the segments to the cross bar supports is nearer the back portion of the se ment than the front, and also, that the com ined adjustment of the segments and the cross bars is such as to produce a rotary movement of the'upper portion of the segments limited as required to produce the desired effect.

And another and still further objectis to produce a cross bar that is not only adapted to co-operate with the segments in automatically preventing their accidental displacement but to produce a stronger and more rigid structure with less weight of material and for this purpose I have adopted a construction similar to that of a railroad rail, the comparative strength and rigidity of which is proven beyond question. Other features will be hereinafter described.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part hereof:

Flgure l is a side elevation of m vention, the end walls of the furnace shown in section.

Figure 2 is a section of the construction shown in Figure 1 but in a different position, and having certain parts omitted.

Figure 3 is a detail side elevation of two segments and associate parts showin them in an extreme position opposite to 518'; of Figure 2.

eing

Figure 4 is a detail showing the manner in which the shaking arms are connected to the operating bar.

Figure 5 is a side elevation, partly in secgion, of the operating lever and look there- Figure 6 is a longitudinal section, certain parts being omitted.

Figure 7 is a similar view with the .grate sections rocked. I

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section through a portion of a furnace, with parts broken away and showing the rows of segments arranged alternately with the openings staggered and with the openings in alignment.

Figure 9 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the grate segments in its normal position.

Figure 10 is a similar view showing the segment in one of its extreme positions.

Figure 11 is a top plan of two segments arran ed with the openings staggered to burn er fuel.

Figure 12 is a top plan of two segments arranged with their openings in alinement to provide larger spaces so that coarser fuel 11181.? be burned.

igure 13 is an end view of the construction shown in Figure 11.

Figure 14 is a detail showing the bar rocked and the manner in which the segment is locked to its bar.

Figure 15 is a detail showing how the segments may be easily removed or replaced on the supporting bar.

Figure 161s a perspective view of the front stationary grate and the manner in which it is placed on its support, this figure illustrating said front grate ust before it is dropped into position.

F1 17 is a detail showing the manner in whic the transverse support for the rear inclined grate is placed in position.

Figure 18 is a front elevation of several of the inclined rear grate bars.

Figure 19 is a perspective view of one of the inclined bars of Figure 18, detached.

Referring now to the details of the drawings b numerals: 1 designates the front wall 0 a furnace, 2 the bridge wall, 3 the side and 4 the dead late thereof, these parts of course being il ustrated in conventional form only since my invention does not reside therein and they may therefore be of any a proved construction. The aforesaid dea plate 4 is provided with a transverse supporting flangle 5. Upon this dead wall are supported t e front ends of the longitudinal supporting bars 6, the rear ends of which are'carried by the bridge wall 2. At their forward ends, these bars 6 are preferably recessed as shown at 10 and 12 to receive the end lugs 14 and 16 of the front stationary fite 18 as shown in Fi ures 8 and 16. (1 near their rear en s,

said longitudinal supporting bars are preferably formed with recesses 20 into which is dropped the transverse support 22 for the rear inclined grate bars 24 shown in Figures 18 and 19. At this point I desire to call attention to the lugs 26 on the transverse support 22 which are designed to fit into recesses 28 in the longitudinal supporting bars 6 and prevent the transverse sup port from being raised accidentally. This transverse support 22 is provided with a number of openings 30 as shown in Figures 8 and 18 to receive the downwardly projecting lugs 32 of the inclined grate bars 24. The form of these bars is novel and I desire to call attention specifically to them. As shown in Figures 18 and 19, each bar 24 is provided with side ribs 34 which are arranged to abut against the ribs of the adjacent bars as shown in Figure 18. In addition to acting as spacing means, these ribs 34 also act to divide the spaces between the bars 24 preferably into narrow channels 40 between the bars below the ribs 34 and into wider air spaces 42 between the barsabove said ribs as clearly seen in Figure 18. These narrow spaces 40 permit the air from the ash pit to enter the fuel bed and prevent burning out the grate bars; while the wider air spaces 42 permit a larger volume of air to pass upwardly at the point where the fuel bed is at its minimum depth at the very point where the bars abut against the bridge wall. At this point the stratum of fuel is quite thin, and hence the larger volume of air passing through the large air spaces 42 greatly assists in the combustion of the gases just at the point where they pass over the bridge wall 2.

The longitudinal supporting bars 6 in addition to supporting the fixed front grate 18 and the rear inclined grate bars 24, also support the movable grates which will now be described. The movable grates, in the embodiment as illustrated in Figure 8, comprise six oscillating grates and two dumpin grates 50. The latter may be of any desire form and as shown are formed w1th trunnions 52 journaled in the longitudinal supporting bars 6 and have downwardly projecting shaking legs 56 which are connected with a dumping lever 58 provided with a handle 60. The oscillating grates are novel and may be described as follows: In their preferable embodimrrt, they are formed in the shape of segments and are supported on transverse bars 72 which may be of any desired shape but preferably of the shape of railroad rails as giving the greatest strength for the wei ht of metal. Each transverse bar 72 has Iunnions 74 journaled' in the longitudinal supporting bar 6 as illustrated in Figure 8. In order to oscillate the grate segments 70, eachbar 72 has attached to it two shaking lugs 7 6 shown in Figures'3 and.

4 between which is fitted a connecting bar 80 by which the grate segments may be oscillated. This bar 80 is connected with a pmoted lever 82 supported in a bracket on the 6 front; er the furnace (see Figure The lever 82 may be fitted with an o crating arm or handle 84, and at its rear si e is provided with a recess 86 into which fits a pivoted pawl 88 which will lock thelever 82 in ust the position to maintain the grate segments '56 in their normal position shown in Figures 3., e3, 8 and 9-. When it is desired to shake the grates, the operator moves the lever or handle 84 slightly and this releases the pivoted pawl 88 so that it will drop by gravity to the. position shown in dotted lines in Figure 5. After the grates have been shaken the operator moves the handle 84 to the proper position and then moves the awl so that it again enters its recess and coke the lever 82as shown in full lines in Figure if grate elements themselves are of y simple character as will be seen from inspection of Figures t and 11. They 1. mere segments resting upon the trans- -=se bars, and while they rest thereso that they can be easily slipped thereas easily removed, they are locked so hey cannot be accidentally shoved out sition by the operator using a scraper or raise. To this end each segment 7 0 provided with a notch 72 of preferably shape shown in Figures 9, 10, 14 and 15. waits constituting this notch are prefiy harmed with. curved upper part 84 tentia'iiy the same shape as the top of a bar '12, but at one side the wall is enlarged outwardly as shown at 8'2, and one of the side walls is provided with a bottom lug 89 designed. to co-act with the'baseof the bar 72. Therefore when the device is located as in Figure 9, it is im ssible to remove the segment from its bar 2 without first moving it on its center so that the bottom lug 88 is clear of the base of the bar. Likewise, when it is in the position shown in Figure is, the segment cannot be removed by shoving in the direction or the arrow 11 but now it is not the iug 8% which looks it, but the fact that it binds at the point shown by arrow Howeve when it is desired to remove segment is is merely necessary to catch segment to the left of its center as viewed in Figure 9 until it moves slightly on its center to the position shown in Figure 15 when it can be easily removed vertically from its bar. it wiil be obvious that it can be easily replaced permitting it to slip downward over its bar 1 2. Y

I also call attention to the fact that the notches 2 2 in the grate segments are not in the center but one side of the can-' ter of segments so that when it is desired to clear the grates, hey can be moved to the extreme position in Figure 7 where the spaces between the segments will be wider than if the segments were moved to the same extentin the opposite direction.

I also desire to call attention to the fact that the; surfaceofthe segments, w'hen the segments are oscillated on their trunnions, scrape against the lower surface of the fuel bed, and this releases the ashes and cinder-s from .the lower stratum ofthe fuel bed without agitating the whole fuel bed, and

thereby preventing waste of unburned fueL.

In my preferred construction, I arrange the segments in two different ways as shown in Figures 11 and 12. Thus in Figure 11 there are two identical segments arranged so that the openings forming the corrugated edge of each segment are not in alinement, but are in a staggered relation. On the contrary, in Fi ure 12,- the. segments, are alternated, that 1s, every alternate segment is reversed, so that the o enings of one segment'are directly opposlte the 0 "nings of the adjacent segment. This ma es it possible to arrange the segments to burn fine coal when they are arranged as Figure 11, or to burn coarser coal when the segments are alternated as in Figure 12 to provide the larger openings. From an inspection of Figure 8, it will be seen that both arrangements are used. The first row of segments is arranged as in Figure 11 to provide the small openings; the second row of so cute is mm. as in Fi m 12 to provide the larger openin the t ird row as in Figure 11, etc. It will be obvious that the segments can be shifted, one with respect to the other, so that if it is desired to burn fine coal, the segmentsof like kind are placed next to each other. If it is desired to burn coarser coal, the so be alternated. l deem this shlftable arrangement, especially when coupled with the locking feature, as important.

fihe non-rigid seating or the se ments on their cars provides a backward in ependent movement of the fuel supporting segments relative to the adjacent segments which greatly assists dislodging adhering clinkers that frequently spread out like a pancake formation over the rate surface and the terry substance runs down into and fills the spaces or o enings in the grate to such an extent that-it 'requently requires the use of a hammer and coal chisel to remove the same from grates which have a rigid construction. With my improved non-rigid construction, adherence of clinkers is almost entirely prevented by the inde ndent free movements of the segments bac erd and forward and also iaterally with theslice bar, as room for such laterai movement is always provided in assembling the segments on the bar, which, it be observed is impossible in of? rigid construction. The beneficial. results that are secured by this non-rigid construction difierentiates it from all known grates, and it constitutes a distinguishing and one of the valuable features of my present invention.

From the foregoing and the accompanying drawings, it will be I seen that .I have constructed a furnace grate of novel character, and one having the other characteristics hereinbefore set forth. It will be manifest that in case of breakage of any of the segments, the broken segments can be easily removed without drawing the fire and new ones as easily inserted; that said segments, though easily removable when they are lifted in the proper manner, are yet locked on the supporting bars so that they cannot be displaced when using a scraper, etc.; that if it is desirable or necessary to change from a fine to 'a-coarse fuel, or vice versa, the segments can be re-arranged so that the openingsmay be small or large; that the leaning grate at the bridge wall is so constructed that it performs a double function,

. first, as an aid to better combustion of the Y thin, and by grate, to

* gases by passing the superheated air through relatively large openings in said leaning grate at the point where the fuel is quite assing a relatively large vol-' ume of super eated air through the leaning revent the formation of clinkers at this polnt. In addition to the advanta es above outlined, the time and labor actua ly re uired to operate and to clean are greatly re need, and a large percentage of fuel is saved. Thus, if time permits, the fuel on the rear dumping grates may be allowed to burn thoroughly, and then be dumped; or, if steam requirements will not permit such action, the attendant may use a scraper and pull the good fuel off of the dumping ates, and dump "what remains thereon, an then after setting the rear rates, all the are burned fuel may be pus ed "from the main grates onto said rear grates, and the remaining cinders may be dumped through the segmental grates, after which the incandescent fucl is brought forward from the rear grates and distributed over the mam grates, when fresh fuel may be put on, and the task completed.

It will be manifest that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Furnace grates including supporting bars, oscillating transverse bars supported thereon andgrate segments having open notches with rounded inner ends and divergin opposite edges, the outer end of one edge 0 each slot being provided with an inturned bottom lug for engaging one of the transverse bars when said bar is against one side of the slot.

2. In a device of the character the combination with supporting bars, of

cylindrical upper portions, and grate segments having notches to fit over said cylindrical upper portions, the upper ends of said notches co-acting with said bars and having enlarged portions permitting the segments to be displaced for easy removal and having parts of their walls co-acting with said bars to lock the segments from displacement when in one extreme position, said segments having ribs or flanges on their walls co-acting with the supporting bars.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with dumping grates, of supporting bars having recesses in the front ends thereof, a stationary grate having a plurality of lugs oneach end thereof, said recesses being adapted to receive the lugs and support the stationary grate.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with dumping grates, of inclined bars, a transverse support having openings therein, the inclined bars having lugs which fit into the openings in the trans verse support, and having side ribs which abut each other when the bars are in place.

6. In a device of the character described,

the combination with dumping grates, of inclined bars, a transverse support havin openings therein, a bridge wall, the inclined bars having lugs which extend into the openings in the transverse support and provided with side ribs which abut each other when the bars are in place and form a division be tween spaces above and below the ribs for the passage of air, the uppermost spaces bea ing of greater width than the lower spaces to permit the flow of a greater volume of air through at the top.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination with front and bridge walls of a furnace, and a dead plate supported by the front wall, of supporting bars, transverse bars having trunnions journaled in said supporting bars, grate segments supllO ported by the transverse bars, the segments having notches in one side thereof and having inturned lugs in position to engage the transverse bars, means for shaking the grate segments, dumping grates having trunnions journaled in the supporting bars, means for dumping the dumping grates, a transverse support carried by the supporting bars, and inclined bars having lugs extending into openings in the transverse support.

8. The combination with a transverse supng her having rounded edge, cf a grate segment having a notch, the inner end of which is rounded upon the arcs of two circles, of which only one at a time is adapted to receiie and approximately conform to the rounded edge of the bar, one being located nearer the outer end of the notch than the other and adapted to form clearance for the rounded edge of the bar when the grate segment is attached or detached therefrom.

9. The combination with a transverse supporting bar having a rounded edge, of a grate segment having a notch, the inner edge of which is rounded upon the arcs of two circles, of which only one at a time is adapted to receive and approximately conform to the rounded edge of the bar, one are being located nearer the outer end of the notch than the other and adapted to form clearance for the rounded edge of the bar when the grate segment is attached or detached therefrom, the walls of the notch being non-parallel and having a constricted outer end slightly Wider than the widest part of the supporting bar.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS E. MARTIN. Witnesses:

JOHN L. Fnm'omm, H. S. Imam. 

